More bad weather is on the way. I hear that a major storm is rolling in Fresno. Ice. Snow. Rain. Funnel cloud. It will probably mess up all of the Amazon deliveries.

 

Lucky for me I am not expecting anything from Amazon this week.

Jim

 

Happy Friday Nor Cal!

Jim

 

it is a Beautiful day up here in the North! Bluebird skies with puff ball clouds and colder than a well digger’s shoes!

 

Yes. Same here, we have us some severe clear or what my old flight instructor called a CAVU day (Clear Air Visibility Unlimited).

 

Here's one for you. Back on December 6, we ordered some replacement glasses for a set that we had managed to break 3 of the set of 8. I was happy to be able to find identical (or very nearly identical) versions. They sent the glasses by FedEx on that day; December 6. You would think that a small package of glasses might take 4 or 5 days, or even a week. Well, they must have been pulling that truck with a mule, as they didn't arrive until today, and seemed to make at least one stop in every state between here and Virginia. FedEx travel log:

Monday, December 6, 2021
11:28 AM Shipment information sent to FedEx
11:28 AM ROANOKE, VA Picked up
5:31 PM ROANOKE, VA Arrived at FedEx location
6:57 PM ROANOKE, VA Left FedEx origin facility
10:00 PM KERNERSVILLE, NC Arrived at FedEx location


Tuesday, December 7, 2021
12:34 PM KERNERSVILLE, NC Departed FedEx location

Wednesday, December 8, 2021
1:46 AM GREENSBORO, NC In transit
1:48 PM MOHAWK, WV In transit

Thursday, December 9, 2021
1:55 AM TIFFIN, OH In transit
1:01 PM COUNTRYSIDE, IL In transit

Friday, December 10, 2021
1:24 AM COUNTRYSIDE, IL In transit
3:35 AM BURR RIDGE, IL In transit
3:39 PM EL DORADO, KS In transit

Saturday, December 11, 2021
2:46 AM VAUGHN, NM In transit
2:46 PM ASH FORK, AZ In transit

Sunday, December 12, 2021
1:55 AM HANFORD, CA In transit
2:51 PM STOCKTON, CA In transit

Monday, December 13, 2021
2:56 AM STOCKTON, CA In transit

Tuesday, December 14, 2021
11:45 AM HAYWARD, CA Arrived at FedEx location

Wednesday, December 15, 2021
12:54 AM HAYWARD, CA Departed FedEx location
2:55 PM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA In transit

Thursday, December 16, 2021
4:01 AM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA In transit
9:55 AM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA At local FedEx facility
9:58 AM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA Arrived at FedEx location

Friday, December 17, 2021
1:23 AM SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA On FedEx vehicle for delivery

 

At least they were not dumped in the woods.

Jim

 

I’m not sure what has happened in the last two years, but a LOT of drivers have turned into idiots. Working for a DOT and former Fire Fighter/EMT, I have seen a lot, but recently things have really gone down hill.


We just had the second major snow storm of the year and Drivers are still trying to drive like it is a dry summer day. Cars and big rigs stuck, spun out or flat out crashed everywhere.


what happened to being prepared for changing conditions and driving for the conditions?



I do realize that California conditions are way different than the Mid-West or North East, but Really? What happened to following distances and anticipating what the other drivers around you MAY do?

 

I ordered something in November which still hasn't arrived. Last tracking shows that it has been scanned everyday, in Sacramento, for the last week.

I guess it's up to the safe drivers to not follow too close, and anticipate what bad drivers may do. And don't forget railroad crossings. How can a reasonable person think that they can drive around a lowered crossing arm, with the bells ringing & lights flashing?

People walking have turned into idiots.

I remember when I was a kid, they taught us to stop, look, listen. Look both ways. Don't step off the curb into oncoming traffic. Don't step off the curb unless safe to do so. Even though a pedestrian has the right of way; stop, wait for the cars to come to a complete stop, then proceed into the crosswalk. Don't jaywalk. Don't walk into the path of a car backing up. Don't step between parked cars when one of those cars is in motion going into a parking space or leaving a parking space.

Every day, people are injured and/or killed as pedestrians. It's as if people forget that they also have a responsibility for their own safety when walking. And it's not just the people who are walking while playing on a cellphone, or have earbuds plugged in. It's just regular people, who for whatever reason, are not paying attention.

I saw an accident today which was completely avoidable.

A controlled intersection. Stop sign in 2 directions. The traffic in the intersecting directions are allowed to continue without stopping. 4 crosswalks. 25 MPH residential area. A motorcycle was traveling in the direction without a stop sign, and traveling at a safe rate of speed. A pedestrian decided to run out into the crosswalk. The motorcycle was already in the intersection going slow. The motorcycle driver applied the brakes. The bike was almost stopped when it hit the pedestrian who ran in front of it. The skid mark was less than 10 feet. The collision was at less than 5 MPH. Just enough to cause the bike to go over, and land on top the pedestrian. The motorcycle driver ejected and only rolled a few feet. Bumps, bruises, and a dislocated shoulder. He was unable to lift the bike off the pedestrian with a dislocated shoulder. The motorcycle rider called 911. Before help could arrive, cars just kept driving by, and going around the guy trapped under the bike.

I was just coincidentally in the area, grocery shopping. As I approached the intersection from the direction with a stop sign, I saw the biker on his phone and saw a downed motorcycle with someone under it, screaming in pain. Motorcycles can weigh up to 1,000 lbs, plus have hot engines and exhaust pipes. I stopped, so that my truck was blocking the bike from traffic in the same direction of travel, and activated my flashing lights From the other direction, a car suddenly brakes, and veers right into the motorcycle with the guy trapped under it. Apparently, another pedestrian stepped off the curb into the crosswalk, without looking, causing that driver to brake and steer away from the pedestrian: losing control and hitting the motorcycle with the guy trapped under it. A marked police car arrives on scene right behind the car that lost control. The uniformed cops and I lift the motorcycle off the pedestrian. Luckily, the injured pedestrian was conscious, breathing, and responsive as firefighter paramedics arrived a moment later.

What a lousy day for that guy. Run out without looking, in front of a motorcycle, get hit, then the bike falls on you. Then another car comes along and crashes into you, all because someone else ran out without looking.

I can literally say that within the past year, I have lost count, of how many times someone ran out in front of my truck and motorcycle. Lucky for me, no injuries to myself or the pedestrian. Several times, my front bumper was inches from hitting that person. A few times, the motorcycle almost tipped over at the complete stop, just inches from the pedestrian.

​​​​​​​

 

My generation was the last generation to receive Drivers Ed in high school. After I left school, the budget was cut. Well, the budget for a lost of things were cut. Some programs were political. Some were just because the economy wasn't good.

I personally believe that the Drivers Ed program had a lot more value than people gave it credit for. Today's bad drivers may be the result of the long term study, of what happens when you don't teach people to drive safely.

 

I am glad that I do most of my errands on my scooter/wheelchair these days. Although, that does not mean I am safe. Still, I see a lot of courteous drivers and in the 8 years of using an electric wheelchair, or scooter, I have only had 2 incidents where people almost hit me because they were in a hurry to turn right, even though the crosswalk sign was on for me to enter the street.

Jim

 

It happened to me again, today. Franklin Street. 1 block away from City Hall. A 3 lane street, traffic traveling in 1 direction. A major thoroughfare which runs parallel to US 101 freeway, and used as an access point to the US 101 freeway. A person runs out into moving traffic. Everyone is slamming on their brakes. A couple of cars connect their bumpers and fenders. The jaywalker runs off.

In SF, with the few streets which are a part of US 101, Highway 1, and The Great Highway, The speed limit is suppose to be 25 MPH. In some residential and school zones, it's even lower, with big signs posted. In reality, nobody can really speed. You are always in traffic, from red light to red light. With all of the red lights, stop signs, and other cars in the way, the fastest that anyone can get go is maybe 40 MPH in a 25 MPH. But that means you are racing from the green light, then braking hard at the next red light.

We have a lot of vehicle versus pedestrian collisions. Drivers and pedestrians are at fault. Drivers are often issued citations for some violation or another. Pedestrians are almost never issued a citation for causing the collision.

Sharing the roadway is more than just drivers who lack skills training. It's a social experiment. Everyone's personality is on display. Some people are drunk. Some people are high. Some people behave with an air of entitlement. Some people are reckless. Some people are simply not paying attention. Some people deliberately drive a little slower, and yield. We curse and shake our fist. We deliberately cut people off then slam on the brakes. We throw things. We shoot at other people.

If everyone followed the rules in society, most incidents would not occur. A large percentage of police use of force escalates from a traffic stop. Sometimes for things which are not even moving violations. Tinted windows. Loud muffler. Loud stereo. Something dangling from the rearview mirror. Someone throwing garbage or a cigarette butt out the window. Those interactions happen because the person committing the offense, is already a person who does not follow the rules. Sometimes, they are also in the act of doing something else which they are not suppose to be doing. They have a criminal history. They do not cooperate with the police officer. They take off instead of stopping for the police lights and sirens. They have warrants. They resist arrest. They fight. They try to ram police cars and run over police officers.

 

If everyone followed the rules, we would not need a large Police force, or Fire department. As they would only have to respond to natural disasters, or the occasional accident caused by mechanical failure, or driver error. Not driver/pedestrian stupidity.

Jim

 

Happy Monday Nor Cal.

Jim

 

I decided today that I will never wear spandex bicycle shorts.